Out of Nowhere
by CoffeeQueen
Summary: AU - Bella gets into a wreck after Edward is gone. Jacob is there to pick up the pieces... slight E/B, building J/B Ch. 7 - *His mouth moved from the delicate bend in her neck, flowing upward in a rhythmic pattern until it reached her earlobe...*
1. One

_Summary:_ AU - Bella gets into a wreck after Edward is gone. Jacob is there to pick up the pieces... slight Edward/Bella building Jacob/Bella

_Author's note: _This is the first Twilight fanfic I've written in a while, so I hope I'm not jumping the gun by going ahead and getting this out there! If it feels rushed, jumpy or incomplete, please let me know. :) Anyway, I would say this is an Alternate Universe story. It takes place after Edward has left Bella and what I consider to be right before she reconnected with Jacob in New Moon. This may be a one-shot, with possibly one more chapter after this one. Or I may continue it further, but I'm not sure if this could be a fully developed chapter fic seeing as I don't really have the time right now to devote to a full length story. So I suppose we'll see…pretty much, it's all subject to change. haha :) Even if it doesn't continue, I hope you can enjoy this for what it is. Thanks so much for taking the time to read and, if you feel so compelled, review.

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_**Out of Nowhere**_

One

The tree had come out of nowhere, she insisted. The rain had been too dense, the fog too thick, the sky too dark. The tree had come out of nowhere.

After the sudden impact, her throbbing head slumped back against the headrest; the coolness of the air was the only thing that kept her conscious. Gusts of cool wind billowed through the shattered windows, kicking up fragments of glass and barely drowning out the sound of the horn that would not subside. She would not forget the sound of that continuous blast.

She would not forget the sound of his voice just before her head smacked against the steering wheel. _"Bella, watch out!"_

The flashes of blue and red lights, the yelling, the sirens, the yank she felt around her shoulders, the rush on the way to the hospital where his father would not be, all passed with rapid succession. Through the slow, veiled blinking of her eyes, Charlie's distressed face consumed her. The tree had come out of nowhere, she whispered.

Several stitches and a bandage later, Charlie was holding her hand. She could've sworn she saw tears in his eyes. The lump in her throat ached. He rubbed her cheek with his other hand as he sniffed the air and looked away. "Let's get you home."

The following weeks were unpleasant. Charlie made a fuss about her staying off her feet and away from school for a few days, even though her feet were perfectly fine. And when the conversation over dinner was begun about that night, about the accident that left her truck windows shattered and cab sunken in, it was a struggle not to argue. _Of course_ she hadn't slammed the side of her truck into a tree because of him. Why would that thought cross her father's mind?

But it wasn't only his mind that the thought entered. Jessica called her, blabbering on about her health and how even the absence of Cullen wasn't a good excuse to end it all, especially not with prom coming up in a few months. Who would be her lifesaver and be the deciding factor on dresses?

But the one thing that bothered her most was not the whispers about her head, Edward Cullen, or her sanity. It was the lack of freedom she had earned herself; it was her truck. Since the accident, Charlie chauffeured her to and from school when her friends wouldn't, taken her to the grocery store and actually helped with the shopping. The world seemed to be off its axis and shrinking rapidly with her father constantly by her side and her mother calling every hour.

In retrospect that was the reason she turned to Jacob Black, the sunny teenager who had a way with mechanics; she had to get her freedom back. Her truck had been returned to the Blacks shortly after the accident, Charlie thinking it ridiculous to let his daughter behind the wheel anytime soon, and in the back of his mind he wondered if the old truck's breaks had failed.

He had made no complaint however when she asked if she could tag along to Billy's one Saturday. After three weeks of pleading for her to get out of the house, he would've agreed to any idea. He had even let her drive the cruiser down to La Push, though barely letting her get above 50.

The looks on their faces, she decided, should have been expected. After all, they had only heard things from Charlie and seen her truck, they had not seen her. Jacob's smile faded as his dark eyes flickered to the bandage above her eyebrow, the bruise the seatbelt left on her neck and collar bone. He took a step forward and she met him halfway.

"Can we go to your garage?"

"Yeah…sure," he replied in a hushed tone before he turned his eyes to her father.

"You kids do whatever you want. Billy and I will be happy with the game." He approved.

That was all she needed, before taking hold of Jacob's arm and pulling him outside. The expression on Jacob's face was a mix of fluster and gratification until she stopped at her truck. He slowly put the pieces together.

"Can you fix this?" Her eyes were hollow and needy.

"Yes," he murmured, swallowing hard.

"Good," she smiled, as she turned to the Chevy and yanked at the driver's door handle. It wouldn't budge.

"Hey, go easy," Jacob was at her side in an instant, removing her hands from the smashed in door. "I don't want you getting hurt again."

He smiled softly, braced on hand on the rusty frame and gave a firm tug on the caved in door with the other. The door groaned as it slowly opened, bits of glass and paint falling off in the process. The seat, she saw, was covered with shards of glass and blood, her blood.

She suddenly felt woozy as she turned away from the cab, holding on to the back on the truck's bed for support. No wonder she had tiny cuts all over her arm.

"Bella? Are you okay?" Jacob's frantic voice sounded as he appeared in front of her.

Her stomach flipped as he put a hand on her shoulder. She could feel the blood in her veins racing wildly. Her hands grew sticky with sweat; she was beginning to feel sick. "I…" she began, searching for his face; he leaned down to meet her eyes. "I think I need to sit."

"Sure, sure…" he said quickly, wrapping an arm under her shoulders and leading her into the garage.

Guiding her around his toolbox and carelessly strewn equipment, he set her down on the backseat of one of the cars he'd gutted a few weeks ago. He looked down at her apologetically after his eyes swept around the dismal room and back to the dingy, uncomfortable seat.

"I'm sorry this place is such a wreck," he said, hand snaking around the back of his neck and giving it a firm squeeze. "Are you too uncomfortable?"

She wordlessly shook her head before allowing her head to fall back on the cushion, sending cascading waves of brown along the back of the seat. For a moment, Jacob only watched her, barely breathing, barely thinking as her body grew still and breathing grew ragged.

Running an unstable hand through his hair, he averted his eyes as she sat up again. Her eyes were red and wet, tears trickled down her cheeks. Without thinking, Jacob fell to his knees in front of her, his hands falling instinctively on either side of her legs.

"Bella…" he whispered unsurely.

She stared back at him, blankly, as if everything had just come crashing down on her: Edward's absence, the wreck, her pain. Her lips trembled as he bridged the gap, wrapping his lanky arms about her tightly. Her head fell somberly on his shoulder, her arms freeing themselves out of their trapped position between their chests.

"The tree," she murmured shakily, her arms clutching firmly around his shoulders. "It didn't come out of nowhere…I _saw_ it and I didn't care anymore…"


	2. Two

_Author's note: _So, I think I'm going to take the leap and turn this into a chapter fic. I started writing it a few days ago and I could not stop! Everything is just flowing so easily and I have a few chapters done already. :) This is my first stab at a Twilight chapter fic and, just for clarification, this will be Jacob/Bella. Also for the record, I know absolutely _nothing_ about cars or how you would even start going about fixing them, so bear that in mind while taking in the mechanics scene! :) Feedback would be very much appreciated; at the very least what you honestly think would be nice. It just really helps people to grow as writers, ego boost aside. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! :)

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_**Out of Nowhere**_

Two

The room seemed to spin around Jacob as he held her tighter in his arms. Her words echoed, raw and honest, in his ears: _"I saw it and I didn't care anymore."_ The weight of her confession stunned him and it was all he could do to hold her, to absorb her tremors and tears.

His mind raced, trying to come up with something comforting to say. _He's not worth it, You'll be better off in the long run_, and_ Everything happens for a reason_ came to mind, but he couldn't bring himself to speak. And as he held her, his shirt slowly becoming wet with her tears, he realized that he didn't need to say anything, that just being there was enough and that in itself was all she needed.

They stayed in that moment for what seemed like an eternity, her clinging to him as if she would drown without his embrace and him stroking her hair as gently as he could. The passage of time was only indicated by the tingling in his knees that eventually gave way to numbness.

When they finally broke apart she could barely look at him. Her eyes flickered upwards to meet his concerned gaze but quickly fell, her head dropping and resting between her knees. Moving from the floor, Jacob sat beside her on the edge of the seat, the box springs digging into his body. He loosely wrapped an arm over Bella's back, rubbing her shoulder lightly as if to relieve the pain.

"You must find me so weak," she mumbled, her muted voice directed at the floor. "An idiot who can't survive without her boyfriend…"

"No." His voice was strong and sure.

Slowly, she rose, her eyes meeting his fully for the first time. His gaze was unflagging and certain and she felt it all the way to her toes; it made her shiver.

"What do you think of me then?"

"I think," he began slowly. "That you're just a girl who is pain. And feelings get mixed up sometimes and you don't know what to do. But the pain will go away, and you'll feel better and happy again. It's just something you have to work at everyday…"

Bella could not bring herself to reply but found herself lost in his dark eyes, focused on _his_ pain. She could see it there, lying in wait, a cloud hiding just above the sun, always threatening to swoop down and cover it up. She thought of previous conversations with Charlie about his mother. Jacob Black was speaking from experience.

Bella swallowed hard and returned his steady gaze until he stood and reached for her hand, pulling her up easily. When had he gotten so big?

"You know…you're pretty insightful for a fifteen year old," she said, offering a small smile.

"Sixteen, now," he replied, a low grin spreading across his features. "You missed my birthday…"

"Oh, I'm sorry," she began apologetically before he cut her off with a hand.

"No big deal. I'm just messing with you Bella." His mouth pulled up at the edges again as he walked back outside. "Now, I believe you wanted this truck fixed?"

"Yes." She stumbled into the sunlight once more, slightly taken aback by the sudden lightness between them, watching him open her truck's door and brush off the glass on the seat with his sleeve.

The broken shards of glass glittered in the grass like crushed diamonds and rubies as he swept all remaining traces of it out of the cab. Glancing back up at her he smiled again.

"Well, you've come to the right place then." The steady look he fixed her with was a mixture of hope and determination as he patted the seat. "Hop in. Put it in neutral and I'll push it into the garage."

Nodding, she did as she was told and the truck began to move as she steered it into the open spot.

"Kill the engine!" He panted when the truck was fully in the garage. "Great job," he encouraged, trying to catch his breath as he leaned against the cab.

She merely stared at him from the driver's seat. "You did all the work…"

He tossed his hand, as if dismissing her words and expression. "We're all about teamwork here Swan. Get used to it."

The faint smile that lined her features was unmistakable as she slid from behind the wheel and landed beside him on the ground. "Okay then," she challenged. "What's next?"

His face lit up at her enthusiasm. "Hand me my toolbox. We need to take a look under the hood."

She cast him a skeptical glance before bending over and lifting one corner of the rusted metal contraption. Dropping it in a heap of frustration, her eyebrows knitted together as she stared up at him.

"I think this requires two sets of hands," she said, placing her own on her hips as he walked over, pulling up easily on the handle.

"Nope, just one," he replied quickly with a good-natured wink.

Bella rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile as he set the toolbox at his feet and hopped into the cab, starting the engine with a roaring jolt. He listened for a moment as the truck made odd noises in the confined garage and quickly cut the engine as it sputtered abnormally.

"What is it?" she asked fearfully as he got out of the cab.

"The engine's going to need some work. But it's going to take some time…and money…" he replied, walking over to the hood and propping it up with his arm.

"Anything you need, just ask me," she offered, coming to stand beside him and looking down at the complicated scene before her.

He looked over at her, almost finding it hard to believe that not even an hour ago her eyes had been red with tears and now they shone with excitement and anticipation.

"Alright," he replied, his head dipping into a nod.

She smiled in return. "You're right. I think we'll make a pretty good team."

A shadow of a smile danced across his features as he glanced up at her once and hastily returned his gaze to the engine. He found it difficult to concentrate with her standing so closely.

His eyes scanned over the motor, occasionally feeling around in it, twisting and tightening things with his hands and checking the oil. Bella watched him work intently, retrieving rags or wrenches whenever he needed them.

Surveying the state of her truck, a chill rushed through her body. The front end was sunken in, the windshield sharply cracked down the middle and the driver's side window was almost completely gone, the remains of broken glass on the ground proof of that. The paint was more chipped and rusty than it had been before and according to Jacob her front right tire needed to be changed.

As Jacob took an inventory of all the new parts they would need, Bella quietly jotted down a list. He patiently spelled the various components he called out and couldn't help but grin when she looked at him questioningly after he named a particularly odd sounding item.

They worked steadily for another hour, planning to meet the following day to buy the parts and get to work. And when Charlie finally came to get Bella, they were both surprised at the golden tint to the sky and the sinking sun behind the trees.


	3. Three

_Author's note: _Yay! Third chapter :) Sorry it's been a while with the whole updating thing, but I hope that that will change soon with summer just around the corner. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you guys enjoy it as well! Thanks in advance for reading and reviewing, if you feel so compelled. :)

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_**Out of Nowhere**_

Three

The sun was hanging low in the midday sky when Jacob stopped in front of Bella's house. A thick ceiling of clouds obstructed its rays and the rain that came during the night left the ground slick. The precipitation that came now was cold and misty, falling in continuous sheets.

Running across the yard to meet Bella, Jacob's hood flapped noisily in the wind. "You ready?" he quizzed her, an expectant look lighting up his expression.

"Of course," she returned, patting at her pocket as if he should know.

"Good," he grinned, nodding to Charlie who waited at the front door cautiously. "I'll have her home by eight. Promise."

Bella turned on her father, who tossed his hands up innocently. "Let's go," she said, grabbing the edge of Jacob's jacket and waving to her dad.

Once inside Billy's truck, the warm air drying their faces and coats, Bella pulled out the list. "Where to first?"

"Well," Jacob said, putting the vehicle in drive and taking off. "I figured we could hit up some junk yards, haggle for cheaper parts. And then we'll get the rest at an auto parts store. They have a decent one in La Push, but Port Angeles would be the best place judging from some of the things that we need."

"Okay…I'll leave the haggling to you," she said matter-of-factly as they turned onto the 101.

His lips curved into a smile as he accelerated and turned on the windshield wipers. "No problem."

They reached Port Angeles within an hour, with the rain coming down harder now in thick sheets. Having stopped for lunch on the road, they got to business right away at an auto parts store where they checked off a good plenty on their list. Jacob was more efficient than Bella had expected, knowing exactly where to find the items and where to cut corners.

By three o'clock, Bella and Jacob had moved on to the various junk yards of the city. As promised, Jacob handled the haggling, leaving Bella to give the haggled merchants encouraging looks. An hour later and they had a newly used steel door at half price and a fender for another one of his projects. Jacob decided he could find a decent windshield in La Push.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Jacob crooned as he pushed his findings in the back of Billy's truck and slammed the tailgate.

"No, not too bad," Bella smiled as she walked around to the passenger side and moved to open the door.

"Hey," Jacob said before she reached the handle. "You wanna get something to eat here. Anything at Billy's is just going to be cruel after a day like we've put in…"

"Yeah, sure," she replied, shoving her hands into her jacket as the wind picked up. "Will all this stuff be okay?"

"Oh yeah. I don't know who could make off with that door or who would need it for that matter," he said as he locked the truck, grinning at her. "You're the only one I know who drives a 1953 pickup. And I know people…"

"Right," she laughed as they started down the sidewalk, their sides bumping together. "I didn't think about that –"

"You've got to be kidding me!" a shrill voice caught her off guard. "Bella?"

Turning around at the same time, Jacob and Bella laid eyes on Jessica Stanley, who was bouncing toward them with shopping bags.

"Jess…"

"Bella, what are you doing here?" Jessica questioned, her eyes drifting from Jacob to her friend.

"We came to get parts. Jacob's helping me fix my truck," she answered, tossing a sideways glance at him. "Well, he's doing most of the work…"

"I see," Jessica nodded, her eyes fixed on Jacob. "You're that kid from the beach in La Push. Right?"

"That's me," he replied, shifting uncomfortably under her stare.

"Yeah. So, Bella, you should definitely come to the movies with me and Brad," Jessica said nonchalantly, motioning to the burly boy who was crossing the street with several more bags.

"He's in college," she whispered excitedly.

"Oh," Bella said, trying to steal a glance at Jacob. "Well, we're kind of busy tonight. We've got to get something to eat and then head back to Forks."

"Eat some popcorn," she said as Brad came to stand beside her. "Come on Bella, it'll be fun. You can come too Jacob. It'll be like a double date or something."

At the word date Bella bit her lip for a fraction of a second before catching Jacob's eye. He looked thoroughly amused.

"I'm in," he said, waiting for Bella's response.

"Yeah, sure. Me too."

"Great!" Jessica squealed, giving the remainder of the bags to Brad. "Put these in my car, will you? Bella, I have so much to tell you!"

Pulling at Bella's sleeve, Jessica looped arms with her and led the way, whispering and giggling. As they reached the movie theatre it was decided they would see _Before My Heart Knew Yours_ despite the protests of everyone but Jessica.

As they waited in the concession line, Bella could feel her skin growing cool and sticky. Her stomach was in knots at the thought of seeing a romantic movie and her thoughts quickly turned to Edward. After excusing herself from the group, she rushed to the bathroom. Jessica was hot on her heels.

"Bella," she called, propping herself up by the sink where Bella was pressing a cold paper towel to her cheeks. "I'm so glad you came in here before the movie started! You and Jacob Black?"

"What?" Her head felt light and her ears rung as she ran the cool paper towel over the faint white scar on her forehead.

"You and Jacob! On a day trip? I mean, you're moving kind of fast don't you think? Edward hasn't even been gone a –"

"Listen, Jess," Bella said quickly turning to face her. "I'm not _with_ Jacob, okay?"

"That's not what the look on his face is telling me. He's got it bad Bella. You'd better watch out. You don't need another lovesick puppy on your hands." She warned, pushing away from the sink.

Bella's head swam as Jessica's words sunk in. She ran the cool napkin over her face once again; her skin grew numb and prickly. She didn't know if she could do this right now, but Jessica didn't give her an option as she grabbed hold of her hand.

"Time to face the music," she chimed cryptically.

The lights in the lobby seemed abnormally bright to Bella as she was thrust out of the dim bathroom. Jacob and Brad stood waiting patiently with the snacks beside the entrance, their last attempts at making small talk relieved.

"Why do girls always go to the bathroom together?" Brad wondered aloud as Jessica took his hand, leading the way into the darkened theatre.

Jacob shrugged and smiled at Bella as they fell behind the couple. She could barely look at him as she made her way down the row behind Jessica, stumbling on an empty popcorn bucket in the process. She could feel Jacob's hands steadying her in the middle of the row.

"I'm fine," she whispered, her shoulders tingling from his touch.

The quartet sat down in relative silence, apart from Jessica's whispers and giggles to Brad. Bella sat unmoving in her seat until the previews ended. Her mouth grew dry and her palms sticky.

"How much do you want to bet this movie will bomb?" Jacob's warm breath was at her ear as he leaned across the armrest.

Bella shook her head and closed her eyes; she couldn't do this, not right now. The opening credits began and she could feel Jacob's eyes on her and the rolling feeling in her stomach again.

"Bella," Jacob was at her ear again. "Are you alright?"

This time she didn't ignore him. "No. Can we go home?"

"Sure," he whispered sincerely, the streaming light from the projector casting shadows along his face.

Bella turned to Jessica before moving from her seat but found that she was otherwise occupied by Brad's lips. Not wasting another moment, Bella pushed past Jacob and headed out of the theatre.

Resting her head against the wall, Bella barely heard Jacob come up. He carried her coat and the popcorn in one arm and her drink in the other. As he handed them to her, his brow furrowed.

"Here, you left these."

"Yeah. Thanks, Jacob," she said quickly, eyeing the entrance and praying that Jessica wouldn't come out to find them. "Let's go, okay?"

Nodding, he followed behind her out onto the darkening street. She hastily pulled on her jacket in silence and dropped her cup in the street. Jacob managed to catch up with her before she ran across the road to the truck.

"_Hey_," he said concern evident in his voice as he caught her arm. "What's the matter?"

Pulling her arm from his grasp, she shook her head. "I just need to go home, okay?"

"Okay," he replied simply, a wounded expression in his eyes, before picking up the paper cup and walking toward the truck.

She followed him quietly and waited a moment as he unlocked and opened her door. The ride back to Forks passed in silence, with no explanation or inquiry from either of the two. Occasional looks were exchanged when the other wasn't aware, their day ending in a dismal, uncomfortable silence as they passed the moonlit Lake Crescent on the Olympic Highway.


	4. Four

_Author's note: _Hey guys! :) Thank you _so_ much to all the people who have been reading and reviewing! Your kind words and encouragement really mean a lot to me. They keep me going and inspire me in unspeakable ways. :) Since the semester is coming to a close this week (yay!), I'm hoping to be updating this story on a more regular basis…and let me tell you, there are some pretty interesting things coming up! ;) Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

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**_Out of Nowhere_**

Four

"Where did you go last night?" Jessica pushed as Bella sat down at her desk in Calculus the following day. "I turned my head for one second and both of you were gone! Did he try to make a move on you or something?"

Bella pretended not to hear her as she got her books out and sat them neatly on top of her desk. Lining her pencil and paper up just right occupied her thoughts before Jessica's voice interrupted them again.

"Oh my gosh! He did, didn't he?" Her voice grew higher with disbelief as she practically begged Bella to look at her.

"No, he didn't," she corrected severely, turning to face the front of the room again.

"Are you sure? Because you're acting pretty strange," Jessica sniffed, running her fingers through the ends of her hair.

"Yes, I'm sure." Bella tried to sort her feelings out. After all, it wasn't Jessica who had given Jacob the cold shoulder and ignored him. It wasn't Jessica who'd made her feel like a jerk. It wasn't Jessica who had ignored her calls. "I didn't feel good last night, so Jacob took me home. That's it."

"Oh." Jessica looked slightly disappointed. "Well, you missed a pretty good movie. Turns out Samantha and Derek had known each other all along, but they didn't find it out until Samantha's estranged fiancé read the will and Derek realized that he had given the locket to her when they were kids. Isn't that crazy! We've _got_ to go see it again this weekend. Such a tear jerker."

All Bella could do was nod as Jessica rattled off several more details of her night with Brad, including the fact that he was _the_ most amazing kisser. Bella highly doubted that. For the first time in her history with math, she was grateful when Mr. Varner showed up early and promptly began class.

The rest of the day passed with agonizing slowness. Lunch, as she should have expected, was no relief as Jessica entertained the table with her adventures from the night before, making a point to linger on every detail of Brad, much to Mike's annoyance. The rest of her classes dragged on as well, and when she finally felt like she couldn't take one more word of notes, the final bell rang.

Not bothering to stop at her locker, Bella made a bee line for the front entrance where she hoped Charlie would be waiting with a warm car. He was not. Instead she waited just inside the building, passing the time by trying to nudge the wall with her shoe.

"Bella!"

She would know that voice anywhere.

"Hey, Mike," she replied, trying to contain a sigh.

"What are doing?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Waiting for my dad to come and get me," she admitted, resenting the fact that she didn't have a functioning vehicle to avoid situations such as these. "What about you?"

"Oh, just waiting around for soccer to start. You know how slow Coach is," he beamed at her, motioning towards his gold shorts.

"Right," she replied, looking out the window.

"Do you want me to take you home? It wouldn't be anything. What, five minutes tops?"

Bella inwardly groaned, weighing her options, when suddenly an idea dawned on her. "Actually, could you take me to La Push?"

Mike's agreement and level of comfort with the idea was more than obvious as he planned their "escape route" and hummed the Mission Impossible theme on the way to his car. With squealing tires, they peeled out of the parking lot and made it to the highway before the soccer team set out on their run around the field.

"Whew, that was close." Mike winked at Bella as he checked his rearview mirror. "I thought we were goners there for a minute."

"Mmm hmm," Bella tried to sound enthusiastic while thinking about her plan of attack once in La Push.

"So, you and Jacob went with Jess and Brad last night?" Mike asked casually.

She nodded. For a moment, Bella wasn't sure which side of the story he wanted to know more about, hers or Jessica's.

"And this guy Brad…he's in college?"

"Yeah," Bella replied, feeling sorry for her accomplice. A little fib wouldn't hurt anyone. "But you could hardly tell. I mean, he didn't play any sports. And I think he goes to community college."

This seemed to make Mike happy, but his thoughts soon turned to the other members of the group. "And you and Jacob…"

"Are just friends," she clarified, not feeling quite so sorry anymore, adding, so he didn't get any ideas, "Very close friends."

Mike seemed to take the hint and focused on the more on the road and less on the speed, putting them at their destination earlier than expected.

The road leading up to Jacob's house was muddy, but Mike insisted on driving all the way up to the front door and waiting for her. Bella quickly thanked him and ran through the rain toward the house.

Knocking on the door harder each time than she meant to before, Bella received an answer after three long pounds. Billy appeared before her suddenly, throwing open the screen door with a sour look on his face.

"Hi, Billy. Is Jake in?" She asked, looking around him into the house.

"No, Bella. He's still at school," Billy replied shortly, looking past her to Mike's car which had decimated his lawn.

Faintly, Bella heard the back door slam; it shook the house. Obviously leaning her head around Billy to follow the sound, she asked again, "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"But, I –" she began.

He cut her off with a sharp hand. "I'm sorry Bella. Jacob is not here."

Not bothering to reply, she ran from the tiny porch to the side of the house; a clear view of the garage was in sight. She could see the end of her truck sticking out and the sunken in door propped up against the shed. The light was on.

Wounded, she stumbled backward, nearly slipping in the kicked up mud. The rain fell harder than it had before as she caught Billy's eye and trudged back to Mike's car. As she got in, water rolling down the back of her hood, her throat ached. She felt like crying.

Mike glanced over at her, his eyes trailed from her face to the shed on which her eyes were fixed. Putting the car in reverse, he carefully backed up and got back on the main road.

"Some friend," he muttered.

Bella wasn't sure if he had said it to make her feel better or to make himself look better. She didn't care.

The rest of the ride back to Forks was silent, with the exception of Mike's sorry attempts at making conversation. They passed the high school and turned on to her road before she realized it, and the sight of Charlie's cruiser made her feel even worse.

As Mike's car came to a halt, she quickly gathered her things and threw open the car door. "Thanks again for the ride. Sorry I made you miss soccer practice."

Mike smiled, just happy to be forgiven and talked to again. "No biggie. See you tomorrow, Bella."

With a wave, she shut the door and dashed under the cover of her porch, bracing herself to meet Charlie on the other side.


	5. Five

_Author's note_: Hey guys! So, the fifth chapter is here and I really hope you enjoy it! :) I'm having a lot of fun with this story and the characters. And it makes it even better knowing that people are actually reading this and looking forward to it, that really means a lot to me and I appreciate all the readers and reviewers!

Jacob will not be gone for much longer, so don't fret. :) I miss him too! lol And on an important, but side note, I have a question for all of my fellow Twilighters. Hopefully you can help me out with this…Does Sam's injunction (or order that the pack can't defy) work outside of being a werewolf? Does it work in human form? If anyone has any thoughts on this, you could leave it in a review(;)), or a PM, or you could send me an email or something. I really appreciate it, and I hope you guys enjoy this installment!

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**_Out of Nowhere_**

Five

Two weeks passed before Bella was allowed out of the house again for recreational purposes. Momentarily overlooking any pity he clung to about his daughter's accident, Charlie, for the first time, officially grounded Bella. For ten minutes he had lectured her, an amazing feat for Charlie, about how her "little escapade" had cost him nearly two hours of work, all because she couldn't wait at school for a little while. She didn't bother explaining.

Mike was blacklisted for the time being, as were all other Forks acquaintances, and she was forbidden to go prom dress shopping with Jessica, Lauren, and Angela, much to her dismay which she couldn't quite summon, except on behalf of the latter.

Despite her near constant calling, which she was amazed hadn't prompted further lockdown from Charlie, she couldn't reach Jacob. The ray of hope which had entered her life when he did slowly began to fade with each confirmation from Billy that Jacob was never home. And the idea of ever getting her truck back seemed illogical.

She had gone so long without speaking to Jacob that she was beginning to forget why she had stopped in the first place. It only took one snide remark from Jessica during the second week of her confinement to bring everything rushing back.

"Too bad you can't come to La Push with us tomorrow, Bella. I'm sure Jacob would _love_ to see you again." Apparently she had talked to Mike.

"I don't know. Maybe we'll see," Bella spouted off, gaining skeptical eyes from everyone at their lunch table. It was common knowledge that the police chief's daughter was doing hard time.

Bella stared down Mike for support. "Yeah, who knows," he offered with a grin as he chewed the better half of his cheese burger. "I might bail her out."

Okay, _that_ wasn't necessary. But it sparked an idea that led to her cornering him between the gym door and the trophy cases between classes. And after intense pressure and a little fluttering of her eyelashes, Bella had Mike convinced to help her sneak out on Friday night when they were going to a beach party. She might have promised him a dance, but getting there was all that really mattered.

On Friday, after being picked up from school in the cruiser, Bella put her plan into action. It all began with a "stomach ache" that caused her to spend the latter part of the evening in her room. From there she made preparations with her pillows and lights, claiming she was turning in early, just an hour before Charlie himself who went to bed at ten o'clock. From then on, Bella was in stealth mode, waiting until half past ten to sneak past Charlie's room and out the front door.

When she rounded the corner of her street, Mike was waiting with the Suburban running. Curiously enough, as big as his car was, he didn't ask anyone else to ride with them. As she slipped into the passenger seat, he shot her a toothy grin.

"Mission accomplished."

Butterflies wings brushed against her insides all the way to La Push where she could not be certain of anything. It was the one aspect of her plan that she wished she had control over, but she knew that nothing could change that. All she could do was sit in Mike's car and wait until they reached the darkened shore of First Beach.

As they pulled up along embankment, Bella's heart pounded faster as she saw the faint flickering of bonfires toward the end of the beach's twelve mile stretch. Mike hopped out excitedly, grabbing on to her hand before leading her down the slope and carefully across the strewn, bleached driftwood.

The stars, barely visible before, now shone intensely above, along with the moon which cast long shadows and danced along the waves. The blue, green, and orange flames licked the tops of the driftwood piled into teepees and cast a glow in a radius around the group of teenagers she soon recognized.

Angela and Ben were sitting on a piece of driftwood, talking and looking at each other. Eric was fussing with a portable radio and Jessica was enthusiastically handing out red plastic cups to a bunch of kids Bella didn't know. Her eyes narrowed as she saw Mike and Bella's hands. Bella quickly jerked away, offering a small smile to Jessica as she took the cup thrust in her face.

"So, you made it I see," Jessica remarked coolly, her eyes avoiding Mike who was looking at Bella fondly. "No problems from the chief?"

"Nope," Bella smiled, eyeing the frothy amber liquid in her cup.

"Well, if you were wondering, I haven't seen any of the reservation boys out here," she said before draining her cup and refilling it from the tap. "Brad went off to get more beer."

"Oh." The word rolled off her tongue discontentedly as she stared into her cup.

"Bella," Mike broke in, throwing an arm around her shoulder. "What about that dance? You feelin' this music?"

Jessica's eyes narrowed, pinning Bella to the spot where she stood. "Maybe in a little while…"

"Oh, come on!" He said heartily, dancing in place and pulling at her hand.

Bella bit her lip. "Really…I need to find Jacob."

"You promised," Mike sang, waggling his eyebrows playfully.

"Fine," she burst forth quickly, shooting an apologetic glance to Jessica who did not look amused.

"Alright!" Mike shot Jess a wink before taking Bella's hand and shuffling across the beach closer to the edge of the ring of light, in clear view of everyone.

Bella's eyes scanned the shore and tree line as she felt Mike's hands slide around her waist and pull her to him. Her eyes shot back to meet his.

"You know," he began, swaying in time with the music. "This is really great. We haven't done anything in a long time Bella."

"Yeah," she mumbled, her eyes again searching the shore.

"It was fun, the other week, sneaking around with you, even though you got in trouble. We make a good team."

Oh no. Bella cringed, averting her eyes to the fire and then to Eric who was about to change the song. This could not be happening.

Then, Mike's hand was on her face, forcing her to look at him. His were eyes set with determination, flickering to Jessica and then back to her again.

"Bella!" Jess's voice rang out from the top of the shore.

She turned her head sharply to follow Jessica's call but before she knew it, her head was forward again and Mike's mouth was pressed against hers in a wet, sloppy kiss.

An audible gasp went around the group as Bella pushed him away, deterring the action from continuing any longer with one good slap. The crowd grew quiet and still; everyone turned in their direction. Bella's eyes flew to Jessica, who had dropped her cup in the pebbled sand. Her friend's eyes were as big as saucers as her pointed, outstretched arm fell to her side.

As Bella's eyes fell beyond the firelight, she felt as if all the blood had been drained from her body. It was only then that she noticed as a tall, dark figure recoiled into the shadows, the cold night air at his heels.

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Ah! Mike! lol :) I hope that wasn't too out of character for him. I don't know, I can just see him doing something spiteful like that. lol You gotta love Mike.

And....don't forget the _question_ :) : **Does Sam's injunction (or order that the pack can't defy) work outside of being a werewolf? Does it work in human form?**

While you're pondering that...a review might be nice...eh? ;)


	6. Six

_Author's note:_ Hey! Sorry for the slight delay on this chapter, but seeing as my sister got married this weekend, I was just a little busy. ;) Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. As always, thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and reviewing, it really means a lot!

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**_Out of Nowhere_**

Six

For a few seconds, Bella remained rooted to the ground where she stood. Mike was cupping his face, Jessica shooting daggers at her, and the rest of her classmates watching to see what she would do next. Her eyes trailed after what she knew in her heart was Jacob's shadow before her feet followed the same action.

Pushing past those who blocked the path, Bella raced into the darkness, hooting calls lingered in her wake. The only thing that went through her mind was finding Jacob; she had to find Jacob.

She made her way across the pitch-black beach, stumbling over the driftwood and rocks, as she neared a reasonably clear path up to the ground above. Picking her way across the dunes, she hit the solid earth running, crossing the empty street with haste. As her eyes finally adjusted to the night, the stars and moon illuminating the land beneath her feet, she gained her bearings and headed through the quickest route to the Blacks' house.

Edging against the trees, she blended in with the darkness as she came upon the two sheds that made up Jacob's garage. She was grateful that the light was on as she made her way inside.

It was there that Jacob stood, the muted light of the lamp casting a soft yellow glow on his russet skin. His bare back was facing her, his hands broadly pressed out on the makeshift plywood counter, breathing heavily. He shook uncontrollably, his muscles jumping underneath his skin.

Bella shivered, hugging her arms to her body before speaking, her voice soft and hesitant. "Jake…"

He spun swiftly around to meet her. His hardened gaze, softened for a moment as he looked at her face. She stepped closer until she was under the cover of the garage.

He didn't say anything, only looking at her as she bit her lip; her eyes were trained on him. He moved abruptly, grabbing a green hoodie from the back of the car seat that remained on the ground and yanking it on, as if he was suddenly aware of himself.

"What do you want, Bella?" his voice was hard, tired, emotionless.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" she whispered, hurt at the lack of care that shone clear in his eyes.

"I could ask you the same question…"

"But I wasn't," she rushed, stepping forward. He seemed to shrink into the back of the counter, attempting to create a larger distance between them. "I called and I came by and then I was grounded, which I still am, and _you_ didn't answer. And I'm sorry about the movies but -"

"This isn't about the movies," Jacob spat, his hand squeezing at the top of his forehead.

"Then what is it about?"

The fire in his eyes was hard to take. "You wouldn't understand."

"_Make_ me then," she murmured, stepping closer to him, sensing that what was going on was bigger than an awkward silence in Port Angeles.

He withdrew again, his eyes closing and beads of sweat forming on his neck, as she reached out to catch his hand. Jacob's skin felt unnaturally warm against hers and for a moment they were both still. They held onto one another's hands, their breathing creating the only sound besides the distant roll of thunder in the sky.

"Jake…" Bella began, her voice barely rising above a whisper. "Whatever it is that you're going through, just know that I'm here. For whatever you need me…I'm here."

Jacob pulled his hand away roughly, his hands slicing through his hair and squeezing at it in one fluid motion. "You can't. I don't want you to."

"I don't understand -"

"It's not safe!" Jacob roared, his hands coming down at his sides.

Suddenly, he closed his eyes tightly, his body grew still and he seemed to only concentrate on steadying his shaky breathing. As he attempted to calm down, thunder rolled again and lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the earth and a dark bruise on his jaw.

The sight took Bella by surprise as she stepped even closer, running her fingers lightly along the purple skin. "Jacob, what happened to you?"

He drew in a sharp breath at her touch; his eyelids fluttered open to meet her worried gaze. "I'm okay…it doesn't matter…"

"Who did this?" Bella questioned, her throat beginning to feel constricted.

When he didn't respond, she placed her hands on either side of his face, forcing him to meet her eyes. "Who?" She demanded again with more strain in her voice.

"Sam," he answered resolutely, swallowing hard as if it hurt him to say the name.

"Why?"

"Because we got in a fight." His voice was emotionless and cold again.

"Just tell me what's going on!" Her voice seemed to pierce the sky as the rain began to pour and sirens sounded down the road.

"Bella," he said lowly as turned toward her, trapping her between the end of the L-shaped counter and his body. "Just do something for me, okay?"

Taken aback by their sudden closeness, she only nodded as his hand slowly trailed down her face. She could see the sadness in his eyes as he moved closer to her, abruptly stopping as if he had just remembered something.

"Take your truck, go back to Forks and _forget_ about me."

The rush of cold air that encircled her now was a shock against the fading warmth Jacob had created. She stood, frozen as she watched him walk away, leaving her alone in his garage. A sob overtook her body as she pushed herself away from the counter, walking blindly to her truck which they had planned and laughed over almost a month ago.

Her chest throbbed with pain as she saw that her truck was completely restored. He had even repainted the new door to match the rest, covering every last detail so thoroughly as if to make sure that there was no reason for her to come to La Push again, no need for her to see him anymore.

As she slipped behind the wheel again for the first time in almost two months, nothing felt right. Her fingers were numb as she gripped the wheel and backed out of the shed, lips trembled as she passed by his house and turned back on to the main road, eyes blurry with tears as she passed the beach and saw blue and red lights flashing. Three cruisers were lined along the sand. A figure by one of the cars looked up sharply, knowingly as she passed.

The bonfire was out, the last of the smoke rising up into the night air. There was no light to be found now; the stars and moon were gone, having disappeared behind the thick clouds which now brought the pounding rain.

As she made her way back to Forks, a police car tailing her all the way, Bella felt as if her whole world had completely fallen apart. Her school friends were going to hate her, her father was going to kill her, and her best friend had abandoned her, never wanting to see her again.


	7. Seven

_Author's note:_ Hello! :) First off, I'm terribly sorry this took so long to get posted! I am really going to try to do better. Secondly, did you guys see the _New Moon_ trailer? Wow! I'm so excited for the movie! It looks great! Thirdly, here's the seventh chapter! I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it! As always, reviews are greatly appreciated and thank you all for reading and reviewing in advance. Enjoy!

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**_Out of Nowhere_**

Seven

"I just don't understand what you were thinking, Bella. Sneaking off in the middle of the night to go to some party and get your truck. If you wanted to see Jacob, I would've taken you down there tomorrow since you'd been so good, but you just ruined that. What's gotten into you?"

She was thankful the question was rhetorical because she couldn't bring herself to speak. They had reached the house around half past twelve, and she vaguely wondered when his tirade would end; her eyes, pink rimmed and tired, burned and her body begged for release from the day's events. She didn't know how much more she could take.

She simply shrugged her shoulders, hoping that the vacant look in her eyes would pass for guilt. But Charlie kept on; pacing around the kitchen, leaning on the counter, flipping his chair around and sitting down to look her in the eye. She wondered if he was practicing his interrogation techniques. Finally, after obtaining all the information he deemed worthy, he let her go, sending her straight up to solitary with no hope for parole.

The voyage up the stairs, with Charlie at her heels, seemed to drain any remaining energy out of her; and as she slipped beneath the sheets, the rain still falling lightly on the roof, she found that the silence was worse than the fussing from her dad. The silence allowed her to think about and dwell upon everything she didn't want to be bothered with during the week, everything that mattered and she needed to deal with but just couldn't.

For a time, Edward's face plagued her mind. His perfect features, his cool skin, his velvety smooth voice, the way his lips felt on her neck. The way they had been in this very room so many times before. Her breathing quickened, her heart ached as she thought of him, of how he had swept out of her life so easily.

Not so different from Jacob it seemed.

Jacob. The one who was in her life here and now, in the present; the one who had made her laugh again, made her smile, made her enjoy being alive. Feelings of despair washed over her at the thought of never seeing him again, of never hearing his laugh, the husky rattle that came from deep within his being.

And then there was the way he had acted tonight. The new, forceful Jacob. The one who had cornered her so swiftly, touched her so gently, disappeared so effectively. She shivered at the memory of his close proximity, his warm hands, his biting words - the cause of the hot, wet tears that trailed down to her pillow.

With a huff of a sigh, she glanced over at her alarm clock. It was nearly two in the morning. Turning over abruptly and adjusting her pillow, she hoped to jostle the thoughts out of her mind as she pulled the comforter over her head and slowly drifted off to sleep.

…

Fire trailed slowly, agonizingly slowly along her skin. It burned as it entered her scalp, pulling at the roots of her hair before dragging through to the ends and running down her neck.

The cool moisture followed next, as if to relieve the burn, dampen the fire, bring it down to a low, smoldering flame. Her back was against something rough, a tree. The wild, crashing ocean in her ears competed with the whimper that started low in her throat and was released in a small sigh.

His mouth moved from the delicate bend in her neck, flowing upward in a rhythmic pattern until it reached her earlobe, where his sparkling white teeth tugged for a moment.

"Jake," she moaned, feeling his lips curl into a smile on her skin.

Unable to take the waiting any longer, Bella's fingers pulled him toward her face; their eyes locked, their breath mingled and their bodies touched, lean muscle against soft skin as his mouth crashed against hers.

…

Bella woke with a start, the cool, grey, early morning light in sharp contrast with the flush of emotions raging in her body and the subtle pink skin under her eyes.

Sitting up, she swept the damp hair that clung to her neck into a high bun, relishing in the cool breeze the fan created. Her cheeks burned as her thoughts lingered upon the hazy dream that replayed in the back of her mind.

A dream. That's all it was - a random mash up of the events that occurred in one day. Nothing subconscious, no otherworldly signals here. It was simply an innocent retelling of things.

The retelling of a night gone horribly wrong.

Bella groaned as she rolled back onto her side and tried to focus on the shadows that were cast by the grey light that filtered through her window. Nothing had gone as planned. And now things were worse off than they had been before.

The sudden slam of a trunk made her feel as if she were going to jump out of her skin. Rushing to the window, she saw Charlie packing up the cruiser before stalking back into the house.

"Bella," Charlie's gruff tone echoed up the stairs.

Moving so fast that she almost tripped over her pajama pants, she met him at the top of the stairs.

He acknowledged her appearance with an absentminded nod, his eyes trailing from her to the window which was now speckled with light rain.

"I got a call in from La Push. They've got a real mess down there in the woods by the beach. Some kind of animal got a hold of one of the kids down there last night. He's okay…but it's critical…"

His voice sounded hollow as his words fell away, his hands fumbling into his pockets. He moved toward the door in the next moment, barely looking at her.

"I'll be back tonight. I don't know how long this is going to…" he stopped short, turning toward Bella fully and meeting her eyes. "Don't go anywhere, okay?"

It wasn't the command of a warden to his prisoner; it was the apprehensive fear that gripped the core of a father, causing him to forget trivial past offenses and to remember what was important.

"Be careful."

"I will," he muttered before opening the door and dashing out into the rain.

Bella's mind raced as she unsteadily slipped down to sit at the top of the stairs. A La Push boy was in critical condition. He was found near the beach where that party had been. Why hadn't Charlie said it wasn't Jacob? Why hadn't he reassured her if something horrible hadn't happened?

She didn't know how much time had passed before there was an urgent rap on the glass of the front door. Bella's pulse spiked as she slowly rose and quietly slipped down the stairs, her plaid pajama pants sliding behind her. Her fingers trembled as she reached for the handle; her eyes locked on the figure beyond the glass.

"Jacob!" she cried, throwing the door open and pulling him inside.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, his clothes dripping on the wood floor. "Bells, I didn't know where else to go…"

His fingers trembled as she took his hand; her eyes met his as she attempted to soothe him by pressing a reassuring squeeze along his knuckles. Her touch was light on his skin and he closed his eyes for a moment, tears glistening in them when they opened again.

Instinctively, Bella bridged the gap between them, pulling him into her arms. She wrapped her arms about his back tightly, running her fingers along his spine, in a motion that she hoped would make him feel better.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice low and strained.

"What for?" She pulled away again, to meet his stormy eyes.

"For everything. For bringing you into this…I didn't want to…" He spoke softly as his hand caught hers and brought it up to his chest. "You don't know how much I didn't want to…"

"_Jake_…" she could feel a small lump beginning to form in her throat as their eyes met.

Silently, she pulled him into the living room, not letting go of his hand until they were both seated on the couch. He looked odd to her, his large frame taking up most of the space on the tiny sofa, his eyes appearing so troubled and lost.

"I was trying to hold out for you, Bells, to keep a safe distance. But I just…couldn't. I guess I'm not as strong as I thought, huh?"

"Jacob, just tell me what's going on. I can try to help –"

"I can't…" He spoke as if defeated, barely above a whisper.

"Why? What's holding you back?"

"More like who…" His words held a bitter edge that was raw on his tongue.

"Who? Billy?"

"No."

Her mind raced, thinking of everyone associated with him. "Quil? Embry? Charlie?-"

Shaking his head, he pointed to his jaw. The purple bruise, peculiarly barely visible now, stretched along the surface of his skin, drawn tight over his clenched jaw.

"Sam…" she said softly, beginning to feel angry. "What kind of hold does he have on you Jacob? Is it…is it _drugs_?"

For the first time in nearly a month, Jacob laughed. The couch shook under his weight, the motion making Bella angrier than before.

"Fine. It's not drugs then," she said sharply.

"No, Bella. It's not drugs…" he reassured her, trying to smile.

"What then? What could he possibly have on you that you can't talk about it? Does Billy know?"

"Yes," he sighed, his fingers cutting tensely through his hair.

"Are you unhappy?"

"Yes…"

Bella could barely make out his response, but his eyes said everything she needed to know. They were sad, tired, weary from stress and sick of being alone.

"You look exhausted. Why don't you rest for a while? You can sleep in my bed, if you want."

"No, I'd rather stay here with you…" He smiled, but it wasn't like it used to be. It didn't illuminate his whole face; it didn't touch his eyes.

Bella nodded as Jacob moved around, awkwardly trying to situate his body to where he was laying down without knocking her off the couch. Finally, Bella laid a pillow in her lap, patting the surface with her fingers.

"Thanks," he said, gladly resting his head on the pillow, his body contorting so that he was lying on his side.

For a time, they were silent, Jacob settling into the couch, Bella pulling a blanket from behind her and stretching it across him. It barely fell past his calves.

Her fingers threaded into his scalp, and for the first time, she realized that his hair was much shorter than it had been. She pulled up at it, trapping it between her fingers and letting it fall back down.

His breathing grew heavy quickly, and she thought that he was asleep until his quiet words broke into her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Bella. For yesterday, you didn't deserve that. There are so many things that you don't deserve…"

"It's okay, Jake," she said, taking his hand. "We'll get through this together."

He pressed her hand into his chest tightly, holding it there and looping his fingers through hers. A comfortable sigh rose from his lips, filling the room as his warmth permeated her hand and spread all through her body. She found herself breathing more deeply as his fingers drew designs on the back of her hand and thinking about the dream until his fingers grew still and he finally surrendered to sleep.

Running her trembling fingers through her own hair, she attempted to relax, but so many different things began to cloud her mind. It was clear that he needed her, that he was going through something that was much bigger than the both of them. It was clear that he was growing attached to her.

And if she was being honest with herself, she was too. He held her without touch, eased the pain in her heart with only a smile and comforted her with a fleeting glance. The room seemed to spin around her, and she was glad to be sitting down.

It wasn't supposed to happen like this, she told herself. It shouldn't be so easy to move forward. But he made it so, and it scared her. Not wanting to think anymore, she grabbed the remote and turned on the television, quickly bypassing one of Charlie's baseball games and settling on National Geographic.

All she could do was breathe, blink and focus on the screen before her as Jacob mumbled and shifted in his sleep. His arm flung out over her legs and dropped to the floor before he grew still again.

She had intently watched two specials before he moved again, stretching so that his legs hung over the arm of the couch. He yawned and blinked before he caught her eyes, his body facing upwards, a grin stretching across his face.

"Hey," he murmured as he sat up, the blanket falling to the ground.

"Hey…" she whispered, bravely tearing her eyes away from the new documentary that played on the screen.

"How long was I out for?"

"Two hours?" she replied, bringing her knees up to her chest. She was noticeably colder without him.

"Wow," he laughed, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"That's not so bad. You needed the sleep."

He smiled again before turning toward the television; she turned the volume up as he moved closer, his legs stretching to the coffee table and his arm falling behind her head on the back on the couch.

They watched in silence for a while before Jacob grew rigid beside her. They watched a pack of grey wolves stalking around in a snow laden forest for a fraction of a second before Jacob whipped around to Bella and pointed at the television frantically.

"What?" she wondered aloud, her eyes racing from the screen to his eyes which were troubled again.

"_That's_ what I've been trying to tell you," he said anxiously, his eyes worriedly searching her face.

"What? What about them?" Her mind raced as she thought aloud, "Sam…has a wolf…illegally?"

"No, no." Jacob shook his head furiously, pointing at himself.

"Uh…you have a - a wolf?"

"No," he breathed, an achy pleading in his tone. He pointed at himself more determinedly. His eyes were frenetic; as a last resort, he took a hold of her hand and pressed it firmly against his chest.

She could feel his heart pumping wildly under his skin. She searched his eyes begging for an answer.

"You - you're…a wolf?" she gushed unsurely, feeling ridiculous as her eyes locked with his.

"Yes," he breathed, gulping for air.

He began to shake, his fingers trembling around hers as he pitched forward, catching her in his arms. Bella slumped against him, breathing in his earthy sent slowly as he whispered the words into her hair yet again, "I'm sorry."


End file.
